First Encounters
by BALEX
Summary: Set after 1x16. Cancellation. Hidden agendas. Plotting. Anger. Hope. Alex and Birkhoff are dealing with all these things as they work with Division and together. Who knew secrets could be the most dangerous thing kept in Division.
1. Chapter 1:  First Encounters

Once you're done reading, let me know if I should write a second chapter!

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**CHAPTER ONE: FIRST ENCOUNTERS**

Alex looked around the room they had placed her in for the night – four hard concrete walls constantly pushing in on her. The drugs Amanda had put in her bloodstream had worn off, but the feeling that someone was inside her head was still there. She spun around; no one was at the door watching, and there were no windows for anyone to look in. She was alone.

Looking at the floor, Alex began to think. What had she said that made Amanda seem so…cocky? Where did Michael go? Normally he'd visit her frequently, but she hadn't seen him – no, remembered seeing him – since he dropped her off with Amanda. The last time he hadn't checked in with her was when…Nikita. Of course, he must be with Nikita. He always seemed to have a thing about her, love or hate, Alex couldn't be sure. All she knew was that as long as Nikita's 'hunting' was run by Michael, she wouldn't get hurt. He obsessed over her too much for that.

Alex scratched at the back of her neck. The chip felt strange, almost like it was buzzing. Nikita had done some work on it when she first got it, but it had never done something like this. Perhaps they were testing the tracker, or perhaps she was still imagining things. Alex kept on scratching at it, her nails digging into the scar outlining the cut Birkhoff had made, showing the medic where to put the chip. That was right before she passed out due to the anesthetics, and he was unaware she was still awake.

There was a knock on the door. Alex jumped up, her hands pushing into her pockets. She stood there, not saying word. Most people in division would just enter without hearing a response, and she was used to this. No response, no big deal. It was probably a guard doing a check, or maybe Michael if she was lucky.

"So can I come in or not Al?" A voice asked, muffled from the thick door. However, the impatience and sarcasm could be heard loud and clear. _Why is Birkhoff here?_ Alex wondered. She walked to the door, opening it to find him looking the other way. As soon as the handle clicked, he spun around – bed head fully in tact, his laptop by his side. His glasses hung from his neckline, as if he didn't want to hide the bags under his eyes.

"Birkhoff?" Alex asked, stepping back. He didn't reply, but walked in hastily, placing his laptop next to the bed and pulling a chair up.

"Sit down. Percy wants me to run a check on your chip. Since you've spent all day with Amanda, I figured you'd want…"

"To avoid the medic's room? Yeah. Thanks." Alex shut the door and sat down on the chair. She pulled her hair back and bit her lip, knowing that the knife would sting. She could hear Birkhoff breathing, and feel his warm breath on her hair.

"Nice tattoo. You know, Percy hates it when recruits have them. Makes you more…well, noticeable. Unique." He commented, dabbing her scar with a cold anesthetic cream. Alex rolled her eyes. Birkhoff couldn't start a conversation with a normal non-work related comment for the life of him.

"Agent."

"What?"

"I'm an agent now. Remember? That's why I've got this stupid chip in the…."

"Don't diss the chip Al, that's my work deep in your neck." He cut in, almost laughing. Alex smiled, knowing that he probably took full offense to the comment. She shut her eyes, trying to stay calm, preparing for the sleek silver blade to cut into her skin anytime soon. She could see Nikita in her mind, sitting in her apartment, waiting for Alex. The door to the NY loft opened, but it wasn't Alex, it was Michael. Michael with…roses? Alex opened her eyes. Nikita was such a hypocrite. She said how you couldn't get close to anyone at division, but clearly her and Michael had…a thing.

"Done." Birkhoff stated, and the sound of clanking metal sounded in his bag. Alex spun around, reaching for her neck. Sure enough, a bandage covered the scar, and the buzzing feeling was done. Birkhoff smiled at her, "painless right?"

"I didn't feel a thing," she said, allowing her awe to show through her words.

"Well, I'm not just a tech nerd." He smirked, placing his glasses in his bag. Alex smiled, looking at him. She wondered if anyone at division fully appreciated him. She sure did, she actually admired him more than anyone. He did all this work, practically ran division, yet was always picked on by recruits and agents. Sure, he was a bit vain, but he was amazing at his work.

"Birkhoff, do you have a girlfriend?" Alex asked suddenly, the question blurting out of her mouth without a filter. Birkhoff slowly turned to face her inquisitive face. Alex stared at him, wondering what made her ask him such a personal question.

"I know all you recruits – and agents I guess – think I'm a joke. A loser. A nobody. And maybe I am. Maybe I am just a nerd who likes comics and hot powerful females – not the point. Right. Well, Al, you can't tease me. You can't just ask me questions like that to laugh at my answer. Alex, it's not okay." Birkhoff responded, looking her dead in the eye. He seemed sad, lonely, and almost like he was longing for her. Alex felt her stomach churn. He seemed so hurt.

"I'm sorry Birkhoff, I just…I wanted to know. You do so much for the agency, and don't take this the wrong way; you're really tough on everyone. I just was asking." Alex replied, standing up and taking a step towards him.

"No. I don't have a girl. Or a friend. Or a girlfriend. I'm alone." He said, turning his back to her and picking up his bag. Alex almost gasped when she heard his reply. He wasn't trying to hide the sadness in his voice. She could tell how upset he was because of this fact, and how he really wasn't happy with his life. She stepped forward again, and did something she never thought she'd do in her life. She gave him a hug.

Birkhoff froze as soon as her arms entwined through his. Her chest lay on her back, her head resting on her shoulder. His eyes darted to look at hers, but they were shut. Her deep blue eyes here closed, and there was the hint of a smile on her face. Birkhoff stood there, hands by his side, breathing heavily, until she let go. Then he turned to face her face, which was written with sympathy and regret.

Alex watched as he dropped his computer case. She watched as he took a step towards her, his eyes darting across her face and neck. She could see his hands shaking, drawn to her face but too afraid to move. He was nervous, unsure, scared. Alex didn't move an inch, just waited to see what he would do. They stood there for a moment, or what seemed like a day, anticipating the next move one of them would make.

"Michael's suspicious of you." Birkhoff finally said, breaking the silence. Alex nodded, and then went to sit on the bed.

"He's suspicious of anyone who reminds him of Nikita. Who has even come into contact with Nikita. He's just so…"

"Infatuated with her." Birkhoff finished. Alex looked up, shocked. Birkhoff was picking up on this too? He laughed, biting his lip before sitting next to her on the bed, "yeah, when you work in such a close proximity to him it's easy to tell. That's why he's so suspicious and protective of you, because you're so much like her. Smart but crappy with computers, strong and fierce, manipulative and sexy…." He stopped, as her eyes met his.

"Sexy?" Alex asked, moving her shoulder so it brushed against his. He looked at his feet, too embarrassed to answer the question. She laughed and rolled her head back. "Yeah, well, despite my so called sex appeal, no guys here seem to act on their impulses." Birkhoff didn't move, but replied, "It's because if I did, I could get cancelled."

Alex turned her head to face his, just as he realized what he said. Birkhoff sat up straight, his hands shaking again. Alex knew that last sentence might have made him realize something he didn't even know.

"Birkhoff…" Alex whispered, as he moved closer to her, his right hand reaching to cup her cheek. He stared at her lips, then her eyes, and then her lips. Finally, he made the move. Slowly, he moved his lips to hers, shutting his eyes and caressing her face. Her pale pink lips fit perfectly with his rough red ones. He put his other hand on her back, pulling her closer until there was barely any space between them.

Alex sat there, letting Birkhoff have a small fraction of his fantasy, but admitting that this was also something she wanted too. She wanted him to hold her, kiss her, touch her, and tell her it would all be okay. She moved her hands to run them through his hair, not wanting to let any part of him go. His hair, straw like and fuzzy, felt perfect against her blistered hands. They sat there, on the bed, just enjoying the moment.

It was Birkhoff who pulled away first, taking in a breath. He longer to go further, hold her closer and whisper words into her ears, but knew this was risking his life. His career too. She was stunning, funny and witty, but an agent. _Co-workers can't be together _he kept saying in his head, but her face enticed him.

"NO" Birkhoff exclaimed, jumping up. Alex looked at him with worry. "I can't, it's against the rules and it's stupid. You're a recur-agent. I can't Alex."

"Birkhoff," Alex said, standing up and approaching his ever fleeting self, "I know why you can't. You're a nerd, and nerds don't like girls who just accept them. They think there is something wrong with them when that happens."

"You remember that conversation?" He asked, pausing from his great escape. Alex nodded.

"Now that I think about it, I remember every single conversation we've ever had. From the lecture about computers to the time I tried to kiss your ass for some help. _Oh Birkhoff, you're a genius!"_ She laughed. Birkhoff smiled.

"Alex, can you call me Seymour?" He asked, making eye contact with her again.

"Seymour. So that's what all those other girls call you back home?" Alex giggled, almost blushing at the thought. Birkhoff laughed. "It's my first name, you know, in my I.D. and such. I haven't been with a girl who wasn't…using me, so I suppose it's something I'd want the one to call me. Not saying that you're, you know, just that, I really like…" He rambled on and Alex stared at him with a look of fascination.

"Wow. I…I just….Alex, I don't know how to react to all this." He said, walking to her and taking her hand. No girl, agent or not, had ever shown any signs of liking him. Alex moved closer, leaning on his chest and letting him hold her.

"Just go with it."


	2. Chapter 2:  Dilemmas

_Please note I'm writing this before the April 7__th__ return, so the plot in the series will probably go differently. This is just my interpretation of it (with some added Balex of course!) until Nikita returns. __**Let me know if you want another chapter!**_

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_**CHAPTER TWO: DILEMMAS**_

Birkhoff opened his eyes. He could feel the purple bags dragging them shut, but he forced himself out of bed. It has been over two months since he slept in his own home. Most nights were spent at Division, drinking red bull and helping Percy and Michael with their missions. He'd forgotten how good sleeping felt, and how much it helped you think clearly.

Turning around, Birkhoff inspected his bed. Empty, of course. No Alex. Was last night just a figment of his imagination? He'd imagined those kind of things before – him and Nikita messing around at work turned out just to be in his mind, and when he had forgotten it was all fake she ended up kicking him square in the face. Last night was probably just another one of those, something he thought of to help him stay sane and feel less lonely. Still, it felt too real, to familiar. If Alex were still at Division after her one night sleepover back in the headquarters, maybe she'd let him know.

After breakfast and some cleaning up, he grabbed his laptop and keys. 10am. He was running late, but seeing as Michael had taken off the night before on one of his mysterious one-man-missions, it wasn't going to make a difference. Percy only paid attention to him when there was a serious mission, or when Nikita escaped a mousetrap. _Fingers crossed Niki hasn't shown up just yet_ Birkhoff thought, as he opened his front door and headed to his car.

At Division, Birkhoff was called to meet with Percy. It was strange, Percy rarely called for one-on-one meetings with him unless there was something wrong with another agent. Or when Birkhoff was in trouble, which happened on occasion. Percy's office was gloomy. There was one man sitting in the middle of an empty room, which made Percy seem even more powerful.

"Birkhoff, sit." Percy commanded as he gestured to the chair. Birkhoff gulped and sat down. "Last night, you went to check on Alex's chip, right?" Birkhoff nodded. "Well, what did you find? Anything strange?"

_Well, if I didn't actually…kiss Alex, maybe I didn't check up on her. Oh crap. He's gonna know. No, no, what did I find in my dream…was it a dream? The chip was…it was…_ "The chip was buzzing, boss. Nothing else. I just sent it some new software and voila, fixed. Presto. My system is…"

"Flawless. You always say that, but there are so many holes in it." Percy scoffed, opening his laptop. "I want you to read this, and follow these instructions. Alright?" Birkhoff nodded, swallowing down the fear. Percy never dealt with individual agents unless cancellation was concerned. Alex was such a good agent, Percy couldn't seriously be considering….No. Alex was safe, she had Michael looking over her shoulder.

Percy spun round the computer screen. Birkhoff read one sentence and felt a hammering in his stomach. _Cancellation #103: Agent Alexandra._ Percy wasn't joking.

"The kill chip is inactive, that's probably what the buzzing was." Percy said coldly. Birkhoff attempted to hide his shock. _Speak arrogantly, sarcastically, just do something!_

"Yeah, well, the medic must have messed up the op once I left. Boss, my system doesn't flaw, and I'm still convinced that whole shell error wasn't even Nikita's doing, it was probably…"

"Birkhoff. Go to medic, get the tools, replace the chip, and then report back to me. We'll activate it later on tonight. Understood?" Percy asked, standing up and walking to the door. Birkhoff followed suit.

"Course. Will do." He said, walking out of the office. Percy shut the door right as a tear fell down his cheek. No cancellation had hurt this much since…since Nikita, and she had escaped. There was no way out for Alex.

Birkhoff ran to medic, grabbing random tools and throwing them in his bag. He wanted this to be quick, painless. He was going to be his cold sour self, replace the chip and leave, maybe drink some red bull or eat some twizzlers. He couldn't let his feelings get in the way.

Soon enough, he was at her door. The door, rather, seeing as this wasn't her house. Birkhoff held his hand up to knock, and after what seemed like ten minutes, he brought his hand to hit the door thrice. No reply.

"Al? Alex, are you in there? You better let me in now or…"

The door opened, revealing Alex's smiling face. "You know, you can just walk in. That's what everyone else here does." She smiled, leading him inwards, then shutting the door behind him.

"Yeah, well, I'm not 'look at me I'm so angry 'Michael or 'my people could kill you in seconds' Percy. I've got manners," he remarked, placing his computer on her desk, along with the bag of medical equipment.

Suddenly, he could feel a hand on his. A delicate, blistered, strong hand gripping his own. He turned his head.

"Al…what are you…"

"I still remember last night. Amanda's drugs had worn off before you even came in, so it's all crystal clear. I remember you, Seymour." She smiled, resting her head on his back.

_It wasn't a dream. _He smiled, before remembering what he was here to do. He has to fix Alex's kill chip because Percy wants her dead. He's going to be the one who ends up sealing the deal, pressing the button that kills her. That's what Percy will make him do.

Suddenly, Birkhoff began to remember the day he was recruited into Division, the lecture Percy gave him, the rules and regulations he was meant to follow. Rule number 21 in particular. He could hear Percy's voice in his mind.

"_Now, this rule is the key rule if you want to survive here boy. A lot of our recruits are recruited because of their looks, their acting, and their bodies. However, they are off limits. The same goes with agents. You might think that because you're a master hacker you're, what they call 'hot stuff', but in Division you're just a helper. You can't go around Division in hopes of finding the one within these walls. No one here is allowed to date. No one here is allowed to love. You can't get attached to any one in this facility, and not just because of the rules. Because one day, that girl, or you, might be gone."_

"GET OFF." Birkhoff yelled, grabbing a medical knife from him bag as he pushed Alex away. He pointed the knife at her, but avoided looking at her face. If it wasn't a dream, everything that happened last night was real. She really meant what she said. He couldn't bear to look at her hurt face, or admit he was loosing the one woman who actually liked him. The one woman he could imagine being with in the future. "Listen to me little girl, what happened last night doesn't mean anything. Sure, I get lonely sometimes, and sometimes one of you recruits…"

"Agent."

"Whatever. What I'm trying to say is that…"

"You used me. You're the master tech-nerd here, and because of that you used me. And if I speak a word of it, to anyone, you'll activate the chip in my neck." Alex gulped. Birkhoff could hear the pain in her voice, the longing and despair all mixed up in a concoction of regret. He turned around, grabbing the rest of the medical gear.

"Exactly. Now, sit down on the chair. Percy wants me to do another check on that chip." He kicked the chair next to him her way, as he felt the tears welling up in his eyes. He was really doing this, loosing her.

He grabbed another chair and pulled it behind her, pulling he neck back and pushing her hair out of the way. He felt her wince – the cut from yesterday was still sore. He longed to say sorry, but he knew he had to keep his act up. He never apologized for anything, not when he was talking to normal agents. He put the anesthetic cream over her cut, and began to trace where he would have to make the incision. He wanted to get it done with, but the cream needed time to take effect.

"Seymour, why are you doing this?" Alex mumbled. She was completely sad, not a hint of anger in her voice. Birkhoff shut his eyes. _Because I'm protecting you. Because I don't want to get attached to you when Percy will kill you today. Because…_

"Because I think I could love you." He said it aloud, not on purpose. As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he would have to give it up. The act, the tough-guy mask. He would need to be honest. She knew. He just told her. He would either have to tell her the whole story, or go and activate the chip from his laptop, and he knew he couldn't bring himself to do one of those options.

Birkhoff stood up and walked to face Alex, before pulling her up with him and bringing her into his arms. She was completely breaking down now, her face as red as the first time Michael brought her into Division. She rested her head on his shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I'm so sorry Al. I'm so so sorry. I didn't know what to do." Birkhoff whispered, resting his cheek on the top of her head. He could feel his own tears pouring down his face.

"It's okay. I just…I've never felt so alone since I joined Division." She sobbed, bringing herself to face him. Birkhoff knew she was telling the truth, he had seen enough tapes of her acting on missions to know when she was being honest. He smiled slightly, knowing they were together, even though it might only be like this for a day. He leaned his head in, bringing her closer to him, and kissed her. He could feel her sobs stop. She was happy with this.

Birkhoff broke the kiss. He had to fix the chip, replace it. She only had a day to live. Percy was going to cancel her, and she didn't know. "Alex, I actually do need to work on your chip. The anesthetic had probably taken effect, so just sit down and…"

"No, the medical room. It would be too…well, tempting to be in here with you. Alone." Alex smiled, her face loosing it's sadness with every word she said. Birkhoff wanted to smile too, but he couldn't. Even as she took his hand and gave him a reassuring look, he couldn't feel happy, not knowing what he knew.

"Al, you're in danger," he said solemnly. Her face remained unchanged. "Real danger, Percy, he, he told me that…"

"Seymour, whatever the danger is, I can escape it. I promise you that."

"No, he wants you dead" Birkhoff blurted out the words without thinking. Any other agent would have had a panic attack, they would have screamed, maybe cried, but not Alex. She stood there, looking into his eyes.

"Cancellation?" she finally said. He nodded. "When?"

"Today."

"What? Right, well, I always knew that was a risk. A day. Only a day? Well, I've got an idea. Do your surgery, report back to the boss, and then meet me at my place. We'll make this day fun and memorable." She said reassuringly, although Birkhoff could sense she was uneasy, nervous. He was too, but he had to be strong. It was rare that agents showed emotion, and when they did, those near them were told to behave stronger, so they wouldn't feel too alone or needy. So they wouldn't run away and tell the world their secrets.

"Sounds like a plan."


	3. Chapter 3: He Thinks She Thinks

This chapter is written a bit differently to the previous two, and it essentially runs through the same series of events through the views of both characters. This is more of a joining chapter to move the two onto the next section. Let me know what you think if you feel like writing a review, and thanks for taking the time to read! Should I write more? Plot suggestions?

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**CHAPTER THREE: HE THINKS SHE THINKS**

**Alex's Point Of View**

Light was shining in her eyes – a little pinpoint burning into her lenses. _She's not responding. Must be the drugs._ Voices in her head, soft and stern. Alex opened her eyes, looking at the white room littered with metal tools and blank sheets of paper. The medic stood in front of her with the flashlight, looking at her pupils and checking for the correct response.

"Yes, she's all clear. Sorry that the procedure took longer than expected Miss, we found some complications installing the chip." The medic said as he slid back on his chair, flicking the little light off.

"Co-com-complications?" Alex stuttered, rubbing her eyes and searching around the room around her. The medic didn't say anything this time; it was someone behind her who replied.

"The chip – your tracker – had an interfered signal. We couldn't just tweak it, we had to cut it out and replace it. Must have been Nikita, found the same problem in some other recur…agents recently." The all-knowing voice of Birkhoff answered from behind her. Alex couldn't help but smile. However, she contained herself, facing forward and not sighing in relief that he was here too. She began to wonder, had he been here for the whole surgery? Had he left to go and work? Was he worried, scared, nervous? Did he care or was this one of Divisions tricks?

"I can take it from here. Just need to power up the computer stuff, radiation and all, you might not want to be exposed if you can avoid it…" Birkhoff stated, walking over to the medic and standing over him, his eyes reading a much clearer demand. The medic obliged, standing up, grabbing his tools and leaving. Alex smiled and tried to move, but found her limbs were still sore.

"Anesthetic." Birkhoff said. Alex looked at him inquisitively. "It makes your muscles numb for a while. Don't bother moving, wouldn't want your agent-ness to be sore," he scoffed, sitting down and pulling his laptop out. Never the less, Alex sat up and faced him (or his back, he was still engrossed in his computer.)

"How nice of you Sey..." before she could finish her sentence, Birkhoff cut her off abruptly.

"Why don't you look at the screen Alex? Might be useful, your computer skills not being at the best standard and all." He said, moving aside so she could read what was on the laptop screen.

_Al, don't say a word. They have microphones in here and cameras at every corner. They won't pick up this, I've included some frequencies so that the text won't register, but you need to be careful. Don't say my name, talk to me like a rude self-obsessed agent. I'll be my normal sarcastic, vain and genius self. Hang on Al, the ride's coming to a halt soon enough._

Alex looked around frantically, spotting the cameras and microphones with every glace. She had forgotten, just for a second, the building they were in. Division. Of course they would be watching. Of course they would be listening. Nikita always told her to watch her back, but around Birkhoff she felt so relaxed and safe.

"Right-e-o kiddo, you're all tracked up. Remember that talk we had last time? Same thing applies. Now, Michael may be out of town, and Percy may never show his face around your missions, but you are being watched." Birkhoff turned to face her and looked her straight in the eye. "If I were you, I'd go to your apartment and rest for the remaining hours of the day. Be careful." His voice became lower, like he was giving her orders.

"Thanks Birkhoff, I'll take that into consideration." She replied, smiling and rubbing the new scar on her neck. He nodded, grabbed his laptop and walked off. She was alone again. _What a catch_ she thought, before remembering his job was at stake - and his life. _Dammit, I need to be more considerate._

Alex walked back into her temporary room. A guard had left her a new suit to wear home, along with a note reminding her about her mission the next day. She quickly got changed, grabbed her bag and picked up her phone. _3 missed calls_. She smiled, knowing at least 2 would be from Nikita. She missed her mentor, and her training. Shockingly, she even missed the sneaking around, despite the danger. Nikita had become like a mother to her, protective and wise.

The door opened, and Alex froze. A hand slid a letter through the crack on the side (Division had sealed all the space under the doors to prevent recruits from having secrets), and the door shut as quickly as it opened. She approached the white envelope with caution, picking it up and looking at it. Her name was written on it – typed rather. _Must be Seymour._ Alex smiled, placing the white envelope in her bag, and then walked out of the door to the garage, ready to go home.

**Birkhoff's Point Of View**

Birkhoff sat in the medic room, watching as the doctor prodded her with lights and sensors. He wanted to pull out the needles, shut down the flashlight, but knew that one wrong move could cost him. Big time.

"She's not responding?" Birkhoff asked, trying to keep his voice as un-caring as possible. The doctor nodded. "Must be the drugs," Birkhoff said, leaning back on his chair and biting his nails. He'd never been one to have these nervous tendencies, but watching Alex is dangerous situations, small or large, made him so scared.

"Wait, Mr. Birkhoff, her eyes have opened. Blinking…yes, she's all clear. Sorry that the procedure took longer than expected Miss, we found some complications installing the chip." The doctor announced, before moving his chair away from Alex. Birkhoff bit his hand, hiding the sigh of relief.

"Co-com-complications?" Alex as scared, Birkhoff could sense it. He was too, but at least he knew what the complications were. He knew exactly what was different, what had caused him to bring in the medic. She didn't. But she would be able to tell he knew the truth if the medic replied. She could do that, read him like a book. Birkhoff stood up and brushed off his legs.

"The chip – your tracker – had an interfered signal. We couldn't just tweak it, we had to cut it out and replace it. Must have been Nikita, found the same problem in some other recur…agents recently." He lied. He had to. He couldn't let her know, they were already too close, his feelings were already too strong. She didn't turn to face him. Maybe it was all a dream, maybe she forgot…

"I can take it from here. Just need to power up the computer stuff, radiation and all, you might not want to be exposed if you can avoid it…" he said, looking at the doctor. His used his confident 'I'm better than you' voice, which scared everyone away. The doctor was no different. He packed up and left. Birkhoff smiled.

He could sense Alex moving, or attempting to. "Anesthetic" he said. _Too obvious, too flat out. Seymour you idiot, she can't read your mind!_ ""It makes your muscles numb for a while. Don't bother moving, wouldn't want your agent-ness to be sore."

He sat at his computer and opened the document. She was probably beginning to hate him just from that sentence he just said.

"How nice of you Sey…"

""Why don't you look at the screen Alex? Might be useful, your computer skills not being at the best standard and all." Her heard the pain and betrayal peeking through her voice already. How easily she could become un-trusting. Someone must have hurt her badly before. Never the less, she read the screen. He could see her face begin to glow, knowing he still felt the same, knowing he was going out of his way to protect her. He smiled.

"Right-e-o kiddo, you're all tracked up. Remember that talk we had last time? Same thing applies. Now, Michael may be out of town, and Percy may never show his face around your missions, but you are being watched." He said the last word solemnly, almost like he was advising himself. _Remember, keep her safe. She is your priority, not yourself._ "If I were you, I'd go to your apartment and rest for the remaining hours of the day. Be careful." He lowered his voice and looked her deep in the eye, trying to portray the urgency of the situation. She understood.

"Thanks Birkhoff, I'll take that into consideration." She smiled. Birkhoff felt the edges of his lips rise, but wasn't sure she's see it as a smile. He picked up his things and began to walk away. The urge to take her hand and bring her with him was strong, but not as strong as the fear flowing through his veins. Percy's office was waiting for him.

The hallways of Division always seemed longer to him when he was waling to visit Percy. He knew that Alex's cancellation would be the main discussion, but he was still scared. He was prepared for what was about to occur, but had never felt so weak. He clutched his bag as he saw the ominous door. Birkhoff stood there for a few seconds before entering. Knocking wasn't ever needed at Division; they had no secrets from each other…that was the one rule that couldn't be less true.

"Birkhoff, take a seat." Percy said as he went to the front of the desk. Birkhoff obeyed, placing his bag nearby and sitting on the seat in his usual casual manner: his hand holding head, feet stretched out as far as they can be. Percy's lip lifted, showing he didn't like this type of behavior in his office, as always. However, it was better to maintain the image that nothing was wrong. _If I wasn't a genius, I could be an actor_ Birkhoff thought, smiling to himself.

"The operation?" Percy finally said, leaning forward. Birkhoff's bubble was burst.

"All clear. The new software is launched; the chips are in mint condition. M-I-N-T." He said, observing his hands because he was too scared to look Percy in the eye. Percy shook his head.

"Of course you would say that. You do realize I trust you on this Birkhoff. We all do." Percy's voice hit a monotone. He was threatening death if the chip didn't work. Birkhoff looked up.

"When have I ever let you down? Actually don't answer that. Answer this: would I be here if I wasn't convinced it was perfect?" He smiled mockingly at Percy, who leaned back in his chair laughing.

"Of course. You're Birkhoff." He raised his eyebrows and pointed to the door, picking up some papers. Birkhoff was ready to stand, before he remembered why he was so nervous about the meeting.

"Percy, I want to run an idea through your mind, about the cancellation." He swallowed, sitting up straight. Percy glanced at Birkhoff, and then signaled for him to go on.

"I was thinking, just in case the chip doesn't work, I should be with agent Alex. Just in case. I can take a needle full of poison to do the job just in case, slip it in her tea or inject it into her veins. Either way, it's better, safer. The job will get done, and you know me. I always get the job done in the end." Birkhoff blurted out the words, fiddling with a memory stick fro his pocket. Percy looked at him.

"I see your point, and I must say, I agree. Nikita had a way of intercepting…everything." He sighed angrily. Birkhoff managed a laugh.

"And Percy, I was thinking, if I was there I could dispose of the body. I know it doesn't seem efficient, but I've studied her neighbor. He's nosy, always poking around. If some men in strange black suits were to show up and take her away, he might poke around, find Nikita…you get the picture? But if I were there, I could do it all myself. He wouldn't interfere, if anything I could ask him for some materials to help. Plus, I hear the garbage men who pick up the bodies are easy to bribe." Birkhoff attempted to put on a menacing smile, leaning forward and raising his eyebrows. Percy looked him up and down, before a smirk appeared across his face.

"I like your style Birkhoff. You know, you could really teach Michael a lesson or two. He's been off recently." Percy said, standing up and walking to the door. Birkhoff stood.

"So that's a yes?" He asked nervously.

"I trust you with this. So yes. Just get the job done." Percy said, opening the door. Birkhoff grabbed his bag and rushed to the exit.

"You know me Percy." He said, walking out the door.

As soon as the door slammed, Birkhoff felt a tear run down his cheek. He grabbed the letter out of his bag. _Alex will be gone soon,_ he thought, running down the corridor to her room. He was so scared, for her and for him. He had to deliver the letter before she left, check where she lived and get all the equipment in 10 minutes. _You're Seymour Birkhoff. It'll be easy. _Reassuring words ran through his head as he approached her door. The light was on, she was inside.

He opened the door, slowly sliding the letter through the crack. He knew she would noticed, her senses were 20/20 after all. However, he still pretended like she couldn't. As soon as the letter was through, he shut the door and ran to operations. His bag of tools was already there, and his computer was logged on.

Search: Agent Alex

Her background came up, details, address, reason for admission to Division. Birkhoff printed off her address quickly, but noticed one phrase on her profile. This was something he'd never seen before, something Amanda must have added in. He gulped, and felt the tears welling up. His fist's clenched and his face turned red.

_Under suspicion of having a relationship with an outsider, named Nathan. Investigate further._


	4. Chapter 4: Unravelling

Chapter 4 is here! Let me know if you have any suggestions as to how you want to story to progress, any comments, and if I should keep writing! Thanks for reading!

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**CHAPTER FOUR: UNRAVELLING**

Alex opened the door to apartment. The air was fresh, not stuffy like Division, and all of her things were there. She smiled and walked to the kitchen. There it was, the phone. She sighed in relief. Every time she arrived home, she would be worried a member of Division found it. She opened it and dialed the one number she knew off by heart.

"Hello?" Nikita's voice answered.

"Hey, it's me. I had to go back into division for the night. After I got back at my apartment Amanda called me back. They were worried I'd commit suicide or something, I don't know, but I'm back now. And I've have a change of…heart since our last conversation." Alex said, smiling at the last words. The last time she had spoken to Nikita, the only person on her mind was Nathan. However, that had changed. Maybe she had tried to be with him to hide any other feelings she had for anyone else. Like Birkhoff.

"Uh-huh." Nikita said. She sounded frightened, or overjoyed. Her tones were very unreadable, but this was not a tone Alex was used to hearing.

"I'm going to tell Nathan it's over. I don't think I ever really liked him; I just liked the idea of him. It was like I wanted to repeat in your footsteps or something, sensei."

"Trust me. You don't want to walk in my footsteps." Nikita said solemnly. Alex could hear a voice in the background, laughing. Then she heard the click of a gun.

"Nikita? You okay?" Alex asked as her worry level began to rise. She heard the phone go mute. "Nikita?"

"Hello Alex." Michael was on the phone. They must have muted it when he took it from her. "Great cover. Never guessed. No worry though, I've got Nikita under lock and key." He said, almost laughing, but she could hear something else in his voice: regret.

"Michael, please don't." Alex was scared, she wanted to run to Nikita's hideaway, but knew she couldn't. Birkhoff's letter told her to stay in her apartment until he arrived. Birkhoff said it was vital, and she didn't want to disobey him.

"I won't hurt her, I'm just making her tag along with me. Missions and such, helping, you know the drill. As for you, Alexandra, I'd watch that chip on your neck." He said, the laugh completely gone. She could hear Nikita shout something about how she replaced the 'kill chip.' Michael dropped the phone, and Alex heard the distant dial tone.

_Crap._Nikita was in danger, or not. Alex paced back and forth, hand on her waist, looking at the door. She wanted to go, but Nikita didn't need her. Maybe Nikita picked up the phone to signal her to come over, or maybe it was just a trap to get her. She contemplated her options, but soon she didn't have much choice. The door opened.

"Hey Ali!" Nathan walked in, smiling, his blonde hair wet and messy. "Thought I heard you here, where you been?" He grinned, leaning in to kiss her. Alex turned her head, his lips landing on her cheek. She grimaced. Nathan's normality and lack of depth suddenly became more apparent. He was your average preppy party boy, nothing special or unique. Dull.

"Nathan we need to talk." She said, walking to the couch. He followed suite, his puppy dog face appearing ever so slowly. She rolled her eyes. _So normal_. "I don't think…Nathan, you're a sweet guy, but you're not what I thought you were." She said, looking at the floor. She heard him take in a breath of air sharply. He wasn't happy.

"Look, Nathan, I don't want to lead you on. I think you're a fantastic guy, but you're just not the guy for me. I'm sorry. I'm just not into guys like you, and it took experimenting with you to figure that out. It was fun, but I don't want to lead you on. I'd feel to bad about that." She said, taking his hand and giving him a reassuring glance. He shook her off and stood up.

"It's fine. Thanks though. It hurts, like hell, but I've been led on before. Wasn't fun. Wasn't any good." He walked to the door, looking back and smiling. "If you're ever lonely, or if you need a friend, I'm right across the hall." Alex smiled.

"I'll remember that neighbor. Thanks." He saluted her and walked out to his apartment. She smiled. _Thank goodness that's over and done with._ She began to straighten up the place in preparation for Birkhoff's arrival. She smiled, knowing he'd be with her soon. Even though they only began their relationship – if it could be called that – the day before, she felt like it had been longer. That's what Nikita had said would be the difficultly with relationships. The good ones go quicker than you expect, and before you know it Division are after them. The bad one's take time to develop – they are the ones Division don't chase up.

Nikita. She was in danger. Alex began fretting again, biting her lip and rushing to the phone. She dialed the number again, and only reached the message. Something was wrong. Michael was doing something to her. Nikita was in trouble. Alex's heart began to speed up. She wanted to find Nikita, but knew that Michael probably had taken her elsewhere. The realization of the situation sunk in: she couldn't do anything but wait.

Taking a seat on the chair, Alex brought her knees to her chest and began to worry. She needed to tell someone, have him or her do something, but she couldn't tell Birkhoff. He didn't know she was the mole, and when she did tell him, she wanted their relationship to be strong. _ Find a similar situation and cry on his shoulder about that. Simple, solved._ She still worried. The stared at the door, willing Birkhoff to walk through. _Come on Seymour, hurry up. I need you._

Alex finally picked up her phone and called him. She waited for the ringing to start, wishing he was here already. One ring. She needed to have him comfort her. Two rings. She wanted to be in his arms already, him entwining his fingers through her hair and telling her everything will be alright. Three rings. He was taking too long. Did Percy find out? Did he send someone to kill him? Four rings. Alex began to pace, and then realized something strange. There were rings coming from outside. She walked to the door, listening carefully. Sure enough, the Knight Rider theme tune was playing from outside her door. She heard a voice mutter some angry phrases, and heard the clinking of metal presumably as someone rummaged through their bag to turn off their phone. Alex opened the door.

"Seymour?" She said as his red face looked up at her. He was on the floor, phone in hand, finger on the 'off' button. He slowly stood up to look her in the eyes.

"Hey Al. How's Nathan?" He said angrily, bursting into her room and thrusting his bag on her kitchen counter. She stared at him, confused. As she shut the door, she watched him grab some materials out of his bag. Surgery materials.

"You know about Nathan?" She asked timidly, walking up to him and reaching for his hand. He moved away.

"No, Amanda does. I just checked your profile on the database. She added a note for the staff to see. She's investigating." He said, voice shaking. Alex saw tears well up in his eyes. He was hurt.

"Nathan was…is my neighbor. He kissed me. A few times. I thought I liked him, but I think I just liked the idea of him. He just came to see me a while ago, actually." She stepped towards Birkhoff, taking his arm and holding it tight. "I told him how I feel about him. How I really feel." She reached her other arm to cup his face in her hand, and pulled it to face her. "I told him he's not my type. I realized he's dull, and not as interesting as the guys I go for." She smiled. He was shaking with anger and saddened, but her gaze calmed him down. He smiled back.

"Thank god." He leaned down and kissed her, and everything was all right again. Alex felt safe and reassured, without even asking him for comfort. His hands were entwined in her hair, and she was safe in his kiss. They were in their own world.

Finally they came apart, gleaming. She felt tears in her eyes – she was still worried but so happy. He bent down to have his eyes at her level. "Al, if there is anything wrong, you know I can help. I may not be as strong as Michael, or have hair as gelled as Nathan, but I'm a genius with computers. And trust me, the Internet can cut worse than a knife in this day and age." He laughed, and Alex chuckled.

"How'd you know his hair is gelled?" She asked smiling. He looked away, then mouthed the word 'google.' They smiled at this together, before Alex felt the pang of distress in her mind again. "Seymour, can we just sit on the couch? Please? I need someone to hold me." The tears welled up in her eyes and overflowed, salty waves pouring down her face. He took her hands and sat her down on the couch. She lay her head on his chest, as his arms held her close. As she sobbed harder, he held her closer.

"Al, what's up?" He finally asked, trying to find her face. She hid it deeper in his gray cotton shirt.

"I can't talk about it. But tell me it's all going to be okay." She said, her voice muffled and distorted from the crying. Never the less, he understood.

"It'll all be okay. Don't worry Al, it's going to be fine." He brought her closer, resting his chin on her head and shutting his eyes. It was like a prayer she was having him say for her, even though he didn't know why. Little did she know, he was praying too.

Birkhoff felt tears escape his sadness lock. She didn't know yet, but she had never been in more danger. If he couldn't check the chip was bound to malfunction, if he couldn't switch it in time, if he couldn't fake her death perfectly, both of them would be killed. Everything was unraveling so quickly, and it was getting harder for him to keep the strands of string together.


End file.
